Mechanism for working fibrous material



July 16, 1929.

J. N. SELVIG 1.720.750

MECHANISM FOR WORKING FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed Oct. 1s

j fnz z." f n M7562; 567115 Patented July 16, 1929.-

UNITED STATES 1,720,750 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NILSEN SELVIG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MECHANISM FOR WORKING FIBROUS MATERIAL.

Application filed October 15, 1926. Serial No. 141,701.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for Working fibrous material, and more particularly to mechanism for forming pulpous material to constitute a homogeneous coating for cores in strand form such as wire and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism forrapidly and efliciently forming fibrous material on a core to constitute a homogeneous coating therefor conforming to the shape of the core. In accordance with the general features of the invention there is provided in one embodiment thereof a rotatable member having an axial opening adapted to accommodate a core with a ribbon of pulp attached thereto. An independently rotating roller carried by the member cooperates with a resiliently mounted plate also carried by the member to form the pulpous ribbon around the core to constitute a homogeneous coating therefor conforming to the shape of the core. Means is provided for adjusting the plate with respect to the roller so as to accommodate cores of various diameters and to vary the thickness of the pulp coating.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following detail description, reference being had to the 0 accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a forming mechanism embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the forming mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views illustrating the manner in which the pulp is applied to the core before it is delivered to the forming mechanism, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged sectional views showing the formation of the pulp coating immediately after starting the forming operation and after the completion of the forming operation, respectively. I i The forming mechanism herein shown and described is adapted to be used in conjunction with the apparatus for coating cores with pulp shown and described in patent to H. G. Walker, No. 1,615,423, issued January 25, 1927 In the operation of this apparatus a core is brought into contact with pulpous material deposited upon a foraminous mem- I contact with a felt which cooperates with the foraminous member to squeeze out the free liquid from the pulp. The partially dried pulp adheres to the core in the form of a ribbon with the core substantially centrally located therein, as is shown in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawing. The core with the pulp ribbon attached thereto is then passed through a plurality of squeezing rolls which impart to the pulpous ribbon a contour such as is illustrated in Fig. 6.

A forming'mechanism embodying the features of the present invention is designed to receive a core and its pulpous ribbon from the squeezing rolls and wrap the projecting edges of the ribbon around the core and around each other to form a coating for the core which substantially conforms to the shape thereof. The appearance of the coating immediately after starting the forming operation is shown in Fig. 7 and its appearance after the forming operation is completed is shown in Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the improved forming mechanism is supported by a rotatable head or carrier 10 comprising a bushing 11 and an annular plate 12 rigidly held together in spaced relation by means of suitable bolts or rods 13. The bushing 11 is provided at one end with a threaded portion 14 by means of which it may be secured to a sleeve 15 rotatably journaled in a plurality of bearings, one of which is ,shown at 16. The sleeve 15 may be rotated by any suitable means (not shown) and. thus constitutes means for rotating the carrier 10. The plate 12, bush- 9 ing 11 and sleeve 15 are provided with aligned central longitudinal apertures for accommodating a core 18 with its attached pulpous ribbon 19 drawn axially therethrough by any suitable means (not shown).

Rotatably supported between the bushing 11 and the plate 12 is a cylindrical roll or drum 20, the peripheral surface of which cooperates with a resiliently mounted plate 21 and a stationary plate 22 to form the pulpous ribbon around the core. The arrangement is such that as the core with its attached ribbon of pulp is drawn axially through the rotating carrier 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 1), the pulpous ribbon is engaged by the plates 21 and 22 and the outer surface of the drum 20 and wrapped around the core and around itself so as to constitute an uninterrupted homogeneous coating for the core conforming to the shape thereof as shown in Fig. 8.

vThe forward portion of the drum 20 is tapered as indicated at 24 (Figs. 1 and 2) and the forward portions of the plates 21 and 22 are bent outwardly as indicated at 25 and 26, respectively. Due to this construction, the pulpous ribbon is gradually formedaro und the core'as the core is drawn through the forming mechanism, thus preventing any stripping of the pulp from portions of the core. The formation of thepulpous ribbon after it is first acted upon by the forward portions of the drum 20 and plates 21 and 22 is illustrated in Fig. 7. p

The forming plate 22 is attached at its forward end to the annular plate 12 by means of screws 28 and secured at its opposite end to a bracket 29 mounted upon the inner face of the bushing 11. As shown in Fig. 4, the pulp engaging surface of the plate 22 is disposed parallel to a plane passing through the rotat ing axes of the carrier 10 and the drum 20 and suitably spaced therefrom in accordance with the radius of the core and the thickness of the coating which is to be applied thereto.

The forming plate 21 is provided on its under side and adjacent each end thereof with an outstanding lug or ear portion 31 by means of which it is pivotally supported in ifurca-- tions 33 and 34 formed at one end of pivoted members 35 and 36, respectively. The member 35 is pivoted at its-opposite end in a bifurcated portion 37 of a bracket 38 secured to the plate 12. The member 36 is pivotally supported intermediate its ends in a bifurcated portion 40 formed in the bracket 29 and its opposite end 41 is bifurcated and piv otally secured to one end of a horizontally disposed threaded rod 42. The opposite end of. the rod 42 is slidably supported in a suitable aperture provided therefor in the plate 12. The arrangement is such that the form ing plate 21 is movable into a plurality of parallel positions. A spiral compression spring 43 encircling the rod 42 and disposed between the plate 12 and a nut 44 threaded upon the rod 42 serves to normally rotate the member 36 in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1), thus tending to move the forming plate 21 toward the drum 20. This movement of the plate 21 is limited by an adjustable stop which may comprise a set screw 45 threaded into the bushing 10 and posi tioned to be engaged by the end of the rod 42. It will be understood that by turning the set screw 45, the space between the plate 21 and the peripheral surface of the drum 20 may be changed to accommodate cores of various diameters or to vary the thickness or density of the pulp coating.

In the operation of the above described forming mechanism, the core 18 with its attached ribbon of pulp 19 is drawn axially through the carrier 10 and the sleeve 15 in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 1), the carrier and sleeve being rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 4), thus causing the drum 20 and plates 21 and 22 to be rotated bodily around the moving core. In so doing the projecting edges of the pulpous ribbon are wrapped around the core and around each other, the drum 20 serving to roll the pulpous ribbon around the core in the same manner as though the core and the pulp ribbon were rolled on a table top with the palm of the hand. It is obvious that as the drum 20 rotates bodily around the moving core it also rotates on its own axis in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 4) due to its frictional contactwith the pulp ribbon whichis aided somewhat by a corrugated surface 46 formed on the forward portion of the drum (Fig. 2). This freely rotating movement of the drum 20 reduces frictional slippage between the outer surface of the drum and the pulp covered core, thus insuring against stripping of the pulp from portions of the core.

During the operation of the forming mechanism, the rotation of the drum 20 ohviously results in a difference in the frictional slippage on opposite sides of the core which tends to urge the moving core to the left (Fig. 4) and out of its axial path through the forming mechanism. This movement is prevented, however, by the bumper plate 22 which bridges the space between the peripheral surface of the drum 20 and the forming surface of the plate 21.

As hereinbefore described, the forming plate 21 is mounted so as to be movable under tension into a plurality of parallel positions. This construction permits the free passage of any irregularity in the core such as a knot'or abnormal thickness of the pulpous material, thus eliminating any danger of the core breaking due to such causes. Fur thermore, due to the action of the spring 43 which, obviously, is adjustable by turning the nut 44, the forming plate 21 is returned to its normal-position immediately after the passage of any such irregularity, thus producing a coating which is of substantially uniform thickness throughout the length of the core. 1

'W hat is claimed is:

1. In a mechanism for working fibrous material on a core, a forming member comprising an element movable under pressure into a plurality of positions wherein it engages the fibrous material, and a member having a cylindrical surface constantly engaging said fibrous-material.

2. In a mechanism for working fibrous material on a core, a forming member comprising an element movable under pressure into a plurality of parallel positions wherein it engages the fibrous material, and a rotatable member having a cylindrical surface constantly in rolling engagement with said fibrous material.

3. In a mechanism for working fibrous material on a core, a. forming member comprising a resiliently mounted element movable under pressure into a plurality of positions wherein itengages the fibrous material, and

a member rotatable about its own axis cooperating with the element for forming said fibrous material on the core.

4. In a mechanism for working pulpous material on a core, a forming member comprising a resiliently mounted element movable under spring tension into a plurality of parallel positions wherein it engages the pulpous material, and a rotatable member having a cylindrical surface constant-ly'in 1'0lllI11g engagement with said pulpous materia 5. In a mechanism for working pulpous material on a'core, a resiliently mounted plate movable under spring tension into a plurality of positions wherein it engages the pulpous material, and a relatively fixed pulp engaging plate disposed-at an ently mounted plate. a

In a mechanism for working pulpous material on a core, a resiliently mounted plate movable under spring tension into a plurality of parallel positions wherein it engages the pulpous material, a relatively fixed pulp engaging plate disposed at an angle to said resiliently mounted plate, and a rotatable member having a cylindrical surface constantly in rolling engagement with said pulpous material.

7. In a mechanism for working pulpous material on a core, a rotatable member having a cylindrical surface constantly in rolling engagement with said pulpous material, a resiliently mounted plate held. in spaced relationship with respect to said cylindrical surface, and a member bridging. the space therebetween.

8. In a mechanism for material on a core,

angle to said resiliworking pulpous a rotatable carrier, a formfor rotating ing member carried thereby comprising an element movable under pressure into a plurality of parallel positions wherein it engages the pulpous material, a rotatable member also carried by the carrier and having a cylindrical pulp engaging surface, and means the carrier to cause a rolling engagement between said cylindrical surface and the pulpous material.

9. In a mechanism for working pulpous material on a core, a forming member comprisingan element movable under. spring tension into a plurality of positions wherein it engages the pulpous material, and a member rotatable about its own axis cooperating with the element for forming said fibrous material on the core. l

10. In a mechanism for working pulpous material on a core, a rotatable member having a cylindrical surface constantly in rolling engagement with said pulpous material, an element movable under spring tension into a plurality of parallel positions at an angle to the axis of said rotatable member, and means for limiting said movement in a given direction.

11. In a mechanism for working pulpous material on a core, an element having a substantially fiat pulpengaging surface, and a rotatable member having a cylindrical surface constantly in rolling engagement with said pulpous material.

v12. In a mechanism for working fibrous material on a core, an element having a subtially fiat fibrous engaging surface, and means gaging surface, and means freely rotatable about its own axis cooperating with said element for forming the fibrous material on the core.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe myname this 29th day of September, A. D. 1926.

JOHN INILSEN SELVIG. 

